When NASA scientists needed a coating that could withstand the extreme temperatures of space travel, they turned to Zinc Oxide.
Researchers were able to develop a Zinc-based coating capable of withstanding thermal cycling between 180?C and -180?C, and the bombardment of ultraviolet exposure equivalent to 19,000 sun hours. The Zinc-Oxide coating is now routinely used to protect components of spacecraft, which are some of the most technically advanced and complex machines ever made.
On Earth, corrosion of metal objects occurs due to the presence of moisture and oxygen in the atmosphere. Similarly, spacecrafts and satellites in the space and outer space are prone to corrosion because they are subjected to vacuum, exposure to ultraviolet light and X-rays and high-energy charged particles.
As a protective coating for steel, Zinc has no equal. The steel and Zinc industries have worked together for many years to perfect galvanized coatings capable of protecting steel from corrosion in an array of environment, including space. In fact, Zinc, the fourth most used metal, is not only indispensable on Earth but also in Space. Hindustan Zinc is India’s only and world’s leading Zinc-Lead-Silver Producer..
Article by- Pavan Kaushik, Head – Corporate Communication, Hindustan Zinc